Blow it All Up? Or Add On?

by The E-Man on Oct 2, 2008 10:33 PM CDT Comment 24 comments

As the Cubs are now poised once again to flop in the Post-Season, I am wondering what sentiment there might be on BCB to just go the way of the D-Backs or Rays, and go for highly-touted, younger and cheaper players, - and dump the overpaid players that just can't get the job done? Maybe hang on to key starters and bullpen, and just clean house?

It would seem that for whatever reason, the team under Lou's regular season guidance has won the Central Division, only to just completely and utterly buckle under the pressure with absolutely no resemblance to the team that had such success in the NLDS.

It is no mistake that the Dodgers completely outplayed, outhit, outpitched, our team, and Lou was also out-managed. Why? Is it a crap-shoot? A "small sample size" - two straight Division series? How close - or far - is this team from "winning" anything.

Many of you will just be satisfied at another Division Championship for your Cubs. That is fine, for you. For me, it is just reinforcing the other flops that I have lived through. I had a great summer of baseball - but ONCE, I'd like to experience a winner.

IF you believe that the team can repeat in what will be a truly competitive Division next year, what do you wish to add or subtract? CC? A shortstop with an arm? Middle relief? What say ye?

BTW - if they win three straight - which has as much chance as Sarah Palin French kissing McCain on camera - I will retract, of course. But, as I've said, these are not the Pirates the Cubs are playing, unfortunately for us.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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Lee and Fukudome must go.

Lee especially. He is not a leader, and the team adopts his style of shrinking from big spots.

Z is a warrior. He and Harden provide the foundation upon which the team should be built. Wood and Marmol will anchor the back end. DeRosa should stay.

Literally everyone else should go.

MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown

by D98 on Oct 2, 2008 10:36 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Dumb. Ass.

Free Ronny Cedeno

by Kansas25 on Oct 2, 2008 10:48 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lee is gettin old as shit

I hate to say it because he is such a great guy, but his performance this year proves that he is dead weight and must go.

Fukudome is a worthless piece of shit and must get off my fuckin team rite now!

"I wish I had a dollar for every time I spent a dollar, because then I'd have all my money back."
-Jack Handey

by deepthoughtsbyjackhandey on Oct 2, 2008 11:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Been thinking about Lee for awhile

Of course with all the koolaid and blue sun glasses around here (read as those Brady Bunch game threads) it’s hard to try to make a point without getting flamed.

Can the Cubs turn D-Lee, perhaps part of a bigger package, into a solid starter? It may depend if they re-sign Dempster. I’d like to see Teixeira in Cubbie Blue. There’s so much that’d have to happen though.

I’m inclined to give Domer a break. New country, new language, significantly more travel (with time zone changes on top of it), longer season; that’s a lot to do and I truly believe when he pressed, he looked bad in the box, constantly leaning forward too much.

On the money to spend, boy that’s big. Sign CC? I’d take him in a heart-beat. We’re stuck with Soriano’s 6 remaining years. He just doesn’t look like he’s prepared for October.

De-Ro, A-Ram? I’d keep them both; errors aside from last night. CF will be a challenge, and how can Soto not be a keeper.

I like Theriot but would love to see a power upgrade there if possible.

Sweet Lou for Mayor in '11.

by blackhawk24 on Oct 3, 2008 6:30 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Blackhawk...

You read my mind, I’d like to see Lee traded for prospects, maybe a Kotchman type w/ prospects…just some salary relief to make a run at CC. Along with Howry being gone, I’d like to see Marquis traded for whatever we can get, or somebody can just have them if they’ll take half his salary.

I agree on Dome as well, I don’t really want someone making 12M on the bench, but that is exactly where he needs to be. Maybe he’ll adjust, maybe he won’t…but October is not the time to find out.

But you know what, I’m also not completely ready to concede this season. We have Harden going tomorrow night, and if he keeps his walks down he could be completely dominant. Lou definitely needs to light a fire under someone’s ass and get this thing going tomorrow night.

by jbertram on Oct 3, 2008 8:34 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I can't wait till all of these fanposts are deleted

Bleeding Cubbie Blue since 1985.

by Bricks and Ivy on Oct 2, 2008 10:39 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I say we are still going to win this series

by WUSTLCubsFan on Oct 2, 2008 10:42 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Unfortunatly Lee must go

His biggest moment in Wrigley Field came in a Marlins uniform…
I think this may be the last year I follow the Cubs from game 1 to game 162. I’m not cut out for this shit anymore.

"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance 1B/Manager 1908 World Champion Chicago Cubs

by imknowdummy on Oct 2, 2008 10:50 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

neither am i. this sucks. must be 100 times worse for the players.

by cedarpip on Oct 2, 2008 11:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

No...

it’s 100x worse for us. We live and die with that team year round.

Honestly now, you think these multi-millionaires will even be thinking about this come this time next month? I think not.

Sweet Lou for Mayor in '11.

by blackhawk24 on Oct 3, 2008 6:33 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Let's wait a few days (or perhaps yet a few weeks)

before having this conversation. When the Cubs win, it will be dramatic, just as win the Red Sox finally won. Winning three straight here is not impossible by a long stretch. I like the pitching matchups going forward in this series.

The author of this post is not a certified scout, doctor, agent, statistician, manager, or journalist, nor was he ever a very good player, though he tried very hard to be like Ryne Sandberg and was about as scrappy as it gets (in T-ball). Any opinion expressed above should in no way be confused with fact, truth, or reality and is hereby qualified in the following ways: 1) The author does not know as much about baseball as Lou Piniella. 2) The author does not know as much about baseball as Jim Hendry. 3) The author does not know as much about baseball as either Dusty or Darren Baker.

by DGU on Oct 2, 2008 11:25 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Team needs to be revamped for 09

Z, Harden, Dempster, marmol, wood, soto, derosa, ramirez should be kept and as far as im concerned everyone else can be traded or replaced. We need different players who can get it done when it matters.

by cubsmania on Oct 2, 2008 11:28 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Lilly leads the team on Quality starts

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by BrewCrew'sPrinceofDarkness on Oct 2, 2008 11:48 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Touche'

Way too underrated. Keep him, he’s too valuable to lose…

by AeroZach on Oct 2, 2008 11:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

With a new owner coming

They will just subtract little bits just to make the team look competative.

Another 25 years of sad on its way

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by BrewCrew'sPrinceofDarkness on Oct 2, 2008 11:48 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

The team will continue to contend.

We’re going to be like Boston. Spending big, and always in contention.

And like Boston, we need to jettison aging players while they still have value. Lee? Gone – and his salary isn’t so awful that we won’t be able to find a taker.

Keep Z and extend Harden. Keep Lilly. Promote Marshall to the rotation. Keep Marmol and Wood. Keep Aramis, Soto, and DeRosa.

They’re stuck with Fukudome, but they need a new starting RF.

They should make moving Lee, and signing Mark Teixiera, the focus of the offseason.

MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown

by D98 on Oct 3, 2008 12:11 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

How the hell do you trade Lee?

Nobody wants that contract, be real…this isn’t fantasy baseball where you can wheel and deal just because you want somebody gone. And, if his production stays down (I say it’s the wrist — he’s never been the same since that injury)

Those days of free-wheeling trades ended in the 80s.

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on Oct 3, 2008 12:17 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I hate to keep post-stalking you, but...

…$13M/year for 2 years isn’t exactly the hardest salary to move. It can be done, provided you don’t want a whole lot in return.

I’ll bet that the Yankees would take him, (or the Angels once Teix declares free agency) and the Cubs would be happy to offer him for nothing in return.

MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown

by D98 on Oct 3, 2008 12:39 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'd be much more concerned if this were Fonzie

6 years left on a mammoth back-loaded contract? What’s Lee’s deal remaining? 2-3 years at $12-15M per? It’s not impossible but I just don’t see the Cubs wanting to make that move even though I’d like to see them turn Lee and perhaps another lower level player or two into a solid starter.

I base this on the Cubs letting Dempster walk and not having the stones to sign CC. But of course the plan-B for me for D-Lee would be Teixeira. Don’t think the Cubs would take a pass on CC but sign Teixeira.

Sweet Lou for Mayor in '11.

by blackhawk24 on Oct 3, 2008 6:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Doesn't matter

If you have to pay for somebody to take Lee, do it. He’s gotten progressively worse since his injury, and in spite of decent stats this year, he’s been a disappointment. And I’m damn tired of him making excuses or trying to shift the focus away from his performance.

It’s also going to be next to impossible to get rid of them, but I’d love to see Soriano and Fukudome leave.

This team needs to be blown up to a certain extent. They can remain competitive and keep winning division titles for awhile without many changes, but they’ll never win it all. They won’t even make the Series.

by JDay on Oct 3, 2008 12:26 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Sori and Fukudome are here for the duration.

We’re just going to have to get used to it.

Soriano is an asset, at least. There are times when he is awesome. He’s a horrific postseason hitter, and he has a large sample size as proof.

Fukudome is more or less useless. Maybe we can move him with a large pile of cash in a couple of years.

Lee is eminently tradeable right now, and should be moved to the first willing taker.

MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown

by D98 on Oct 3, 2008 12:41 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

True...

plus I believe his 2005 season put a falsely high expectation on him. He was a .266 lifetime hitter when he came here at the start of 2004. That .335 in 2005 was an anomaly, not to mention the 46 bombs he launched.

Sweet Lou for Mayor in '11.

by blackhawk24 on Oct 3, 2008 6:37 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree.

D Lee has disappointed, but he is decent for the position, but he would have to be moved out the #3 hole in the batting order.

If you think you've seen it all...just wait!

by CubFanSince1970 on Oct 3, 2008 9:17 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I am holding out hope...

…that after the brutal playoff losses in 84 and 03, the baseball Gods are finally setting the Cubs up to do the same to someone else for a change.

Ok, now that I am back to my senses, changes should be made to the club if the Dodgers finish this thing off.

Clearly, a lot will depend on new ownership, but in a perfect world, this is what I would look at:

Upgrade SS
Need legit leadoff man
Soriano moves down in order
Lee hits 5th or 6th
You sign Dempster for a reasonable amount
Add another starter via FA or trade
Either new CF or SS will be leadoff man

The problem here is what I have stated on this board many times before – Hendry has backloaded most of his deals and even included no-trades in many of them. Unless the new owner is willing to incur salary luxury taxes and getting the payroll up over 130-140 milion, it is going to be tough to add any substantial talent.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Oct 3, 2008 9:41 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs